Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: General F. A. E. Loch, C.B., Indian Army

Punjab 1848-49, 1 clasp, Mooltan (Cornet, 1st Regt. L. Cavalry Lancers), renamed in engraved capitals; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Capt., 1st Regt. Bombay Cavy.); Abyssinia 1867 (Coll., 3 By. Bombay Light Cavly.), this last with refixed suspension, one or two edge bruises but generally very fine and better (3) £800-1000

Francis Adams Ellis Loch, who was commissioned into the Indian cavalry in April 1844, first saw active service at the siege of Mooltan, when he was mentioned in despatches for his services with the 1st Light Cavalry (London Gazette 11 March 1849). As it transpired, he would win similar approbation in each of his subsequent campaigns. Hart’s summarises his services in the Indian Mutiny thus:

‘At the mutiny of the Bengal troops at Nusseerabad, siege and capture of Awah (wounded) and Kotah, recapture of Chandaree, action at Kotah-ke-Serai, capture of Gwalior, siege of Powrie, pursuit of rebels under Maun Sing, and action of Koondrye. Despatches. London Gazette 18 April 1859. Brevet of Major’.

In September 1866, Loch was appointed to the Bombay Staff Corps, but in the following year he returned to the campaign trail with the 3rd Bombay Cavalry in the Abyssinian expedition. He was subsequently present in the action at Arogee and at the capture of Magdala, services that won him the Brevet of Colonel and a brace of ‘mentions’ (London Gazette 16 and 30 June 1868). In this latter despatch, Napier described how Loch was among those to go forward at Magdala to ‘communicate with the Chiefs who wished to surrender, and to prevent any misunderstanding.’

Returning to India, he next served as Commandant of the Scinde Frontier Force, and as a Political Agent on the Scinde frontier, 1873-6, appointments that witnessed him being awarded the C.B. in May 1875; his final senior posting was as Political Resident and Brigadier-General Commanding, Aden, 1877-82.

Advanced to the rank of full General in January 1889, Loch died in 1891; also see Lot 892 for his dress miniature medals.